Garment alterational means and methods

ABSTRACT

We disclose a garment having an elongated alterable section, an alterational tape adhered to and extending longitudinally of said section, and measuring indicia on said tape for denoting an altered length of said section in terms of the location of an inwardly folded edge portion of said garment section.

United States Patent [72 lnventors Milton Abrams [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1/1947 Solomon 5151 Rosecrest Drive;

Melvin Singer, 5120 Ro'secrest Drive, both of Pittsburgh, Pa. 840,428

2,414,429 2/269 2,914,070 11/1959 Kellneretal. 2/102X 3,328,809 7/1967 Payne et a1. 2/232 X [2]] Appl. No. [22] Filed 1 July 9, I969 Patented Aug. 31, 1971 FORElGN PATENTS Primary ExaminerH. Hampton Hunter Attorney-Don .1. Smith [54] GARMENT ALTERATIONAL MEANS AND METHODS 10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

ABSTRACT: We disclose a garment having an elongated alterable section, an alterational tape adhered to and extending longitudinally of said section, and measuring indicia on said tape for denoting an altered length of said section in terms of the location of an inwardly folded edge portion of said garment section.

GARMENT ALTERATIONAL MEANS AND METHODS Our present invention relates to garment alteration means and methods and more particularly to a method and means for facilitating the alteration of trousers and similar garments. The

' invention is particularly useful in the rental garment field,

wherein the garments must be altered a considerable number of times throughout the life of the garment.

vMany garments are manufactured in standard leg and/or sleeve lengths which usually must be altered to the size 'ing'new garments, it is necessary, particularly in the case of trousers, to alter the garments in almost every instance.

' Our invention is described hereinafter with principal referenc to mens trousers, particularly trousers forming part of me'ii"s formallfattire. It will be readily apparent, and we so intend of course, that our invention is not so limited, but can be readily applied to other garments, such as coats and dresses, requiring size alterations.

The alterational procedure for trousers involves ascertaining the purchasers or users measurement usually from crotch to instep, and for accuracy each leg is so measured. Similarly, each leg of the trousers must be measured and chalked for subsequent folding and stitching. As is well known in the trade, the measuring and chalking of the garment constitute the most time-consuming steps of the alterational procedure and, in fact, account for the major portion of the time utilized in alteration. I

The time consumed by measuring, chalking and related operations is multiplied many times over in the case of rental garments. in the renting of garments, which usually involves formal wear, the garments require repeated alteration, particularly as to trouser length and coat sleeve lengths. Not withstanding the wide garment selections maintained by most rental agencies, rental garments still require alteration in over 50 percent of the rental transactions.

In addition to the alterational difficulties encountered by garment rental agencies, an attendant problem is the individual recording of the altered trouser lengths or similar alterations. At present there is no adequate procedure for recording the actual altered lengths or sizes directly on the garment for easy reference. The attachment of various identification means to the rental garments is inconvenient, owing particularly to the formal nature of the garments. On the other hand, some such size identification is highly desirable, so that selection of a rental garment for a particular customer can be quickly made, particularly in those cases where no alteration may be necessary to fit the customer. In cases where alteration is required, however, it is also desirable to identify quickly a garment of similar dimensions and requiring minor instead of major alterations.

Accordingly, we provide an alterational method and means involving the permanent adfixture of measuring means to the garment in question. In our alterational procedure the timeconsuming steps of measuring and chalking the garments arenot only eliminated but a record is established of the garment length or other dimension directly upon the garment. This record remains as a permanent indication of size until the'garment requires realteration, in which case the new size is similarly indicated without substantial change in the indicating means. In consequence, it is not necessary to make a separate recording of the garment size, which may be lost or misplaced, or to attach some indicia of size to the garment itself, which may be uncomfortable to the wearer.

We are aware of a number of previous disclosures of adjustable garments to provide a limited size variation, for example, as typified by the US. Pats. to Arden. No. 2,153,068 and to Cantil No. 2,755,481. The Arden patent shows a measuring device more or less permanently secured to a garment and having means thereon for gathering a portion of the garment such as a shirt sleeve. The Arden arrangement, however, is obviously inappropriate for providing an exact size and the wide variation in garment length as required by a diversity of users or purchasers. Obviously, too, the Arden arrangement is not useful in aiding the fabrication of a cuff or finished edge of the illustrated garment. Finally, the hardware used in connection with the Arden device would be uncomfortable to the wearer.

Cantils adjustable garment is a similar arrangement applied to the waist and seat of a garment such as men's trousers, but differs from Arden in that no size indicia are associated with the Cantil adjustment. Like the Arden arrangement, the Cantil adjustment obviously is unsuited for the alterational procedure contemplated by our invention.

We overcome these problems and disadvantages of the prior art by providing alterational methods and means involving permanently securing a flexible tape to the inside surface of each trouser leg or other garment portion which requires alteration. The tapes can be secured by the manufacturer of the gannent in accordance with preestablished measurements for a series of identical garments. On the other hand, the tapes can be secured by a garment rental agency or the like in accordance with the method outlined herein. The tape is provided with suitable indicia, which in cooperation with the lower edge of the trouser leg or other appropriate garment edge, denote the finished length of the garment when properly folded in accordance with our method. The garment can then be sewn with permanent or hidden (removable) stitching such that the folded edge of the garment, and in cooperation with the measuring tape in accordance with another feature of our invention, indicates the finished size of the altered garment.

We accomplish these desirable results by providing a garment having an elongated alterable section, an alterational tape adhered to and extending longitudinally of said section, and measuring indicia on said tape for denoting an altered length of said section in terms of the location of an inwardly folded edge portion of said garment section.

We also desirably provide a similar garment wherein said tape has one end thereof coterminous with an unaltered edge of said garment section, and said indicia at said end denotes an actual unaltered length of said garment section.

We also desirably provide a similar garment wherein said garment is a pair of trousers, and similar tapes are adhered respectively to the legs of said trousers.

We also desirably provide a similar garment wherein said tape is permanently affixed to said garment section, and said tape indicia permanently denote the altered length of said garment section at the intersection of said tape with the infolded edge of said garment section.

We also desirably provide a similar garment wherein the upper end of said tape and the indicia thereon terminate at the location of the infolded edge of said garment section at the shortest anticipated altered length thereof.

We also desirably provide a method for altering the length of a garment section, said method comprising the steps in variable order of adhering measuring indicia along at least a segment of the length of said section, relating said indicia to the actual altered length of said portion as denoted by inward movement of an infolded terminal edge of said garment section, folding and stitching an end portion including said edge of said garment section at a location where said infolded edge denotes the desired altered length of said garment section on said indicia.

We also desirably provide a similar method wherein said garment is a pair of trousers, and said method includes the additional step of adhering similar measuring indicia on each leg portion of said trousers.

During the foregoing discussion, various objects, features and advantages of the invention have been set forth. These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention together with structural details thereof will be elaborated upon during the forthcoming description of certain presently preferred methods of practicing the same.

. our novel alterational means;

In the accompanying drawings we .have shown certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention and have illustrated certain presently preferred methods of practicing the same,'wherein:-

FIG. I is-a perspective view partially broken away showing the front and left side 'of an unaltered garment incorporating FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of the garment of FIG. and showing a step in our alterational method; and,

FIG. 3 is a similar view, partially broken away, of an altered garment.

Referring now initially to FIG. I of the drawings, our alterational means is illustrated therein in conjunction with garment 10, in this example, a man s formal trousers. For the purposes of describing our invention it will be assumed that the trousers are as received from the manufacturer or that any hidden stitching has been removed. Thus, trouser legs 12, 14 are unaltered, and their lower or terminal edges or ends l6, l8 respectively are not provided with a fold or cuff.

Each of the trouser legs l2, 14 is provided with a flexible tape 20, which preferably is fabricated from a thin but closely woven cloth of a known material which is not subject to stretching or elongation. Each of the tapes desirably is provided withan adhesive coating 22 on. the reverse surface thereof and suitable scale indicia 24 on the obverse. Desirably the adhesive coating 22 is heat sensitive such that the tapes 20 :can. be adhered to the inside surfaces of the trouser legs l2, 14 by ironing or pressing. Alternatively the adhesive material 22 can be omitted, and the tapes 20 can be sewn to the inwardly extending material edge portion 38 or similarly affixed to other inside surfaces of the trouser legs.

The lower ends 26 of the tapes 20 for most applications of our alternational device are coterminous with lower ends 16, 18 respectively of the trouser legs l2, 14. The upper ends 28 of the tapes 20 terminate at preselectable points on the inside surfaces of the trouser legs, which points, in cooperation with the trouser length alternational procedure presently to be described, correspond respectively to the shortest anticipated trouser lengths. s i The measuring tapes 20 can be conveniently located on any inside surface of the trouser legs l2, 14 for extension longitudinally thereof. We prefer, however, to locate the tapes 20 adjacent the inside seams 30, 32 which customarily extend from crotch 34 to the instep areas 36 of the trouser legs. Preferably, the tapes 20 are located on one of the inwardly extending edges 38, 40 of trouser material which customarily extend inwardly of the inside seams 30, 32 and longitudinally therealong. In this manner, the tapes 20 do not stiffen any portion of the external or exposed surface of the trousers 10.

Moreover, the tapes 20 at their location on the material edges 38,40 are unnoticeable by thewearer of the trousers l0 and do not result in wearer discomfort.

The tapes 20 are properly and permanently located on the inside surfaces of the trousers 10, which are provided in this example with plain bottoms as are most rental garments, in the following manner: The tape 20. is first provided with measuring' indicia 24, for example, at the scale of one-half inch to .inch, i.e., a 1-inch" unit of the indicia 24 equals 2 inches of actual measurement in the total or unaltered length of the vtrouser legs. In the illustrated garment, this relationship is necessary, as the bottom edge 16 or 18 of eachtrouser leg moves upwardly at twice the rate as that of fold 42as the botto'mportion 44 (FIG. 2) of the trouser leg is folded upwardly or inwardly of the leg length. Attachment of the tape 20 is facilitated by turning the tromer legs inside out as shown in FIG. 2. Before doing so however a typical. measurement, say

29 inches, can be markedas by chalking on each trouser leg.

"The mark 26 denotes an actual such measurement from the upfolded bottom edge 16 or 18 thereof. In this description it is assumed that the trousers are to be provided with plain ends, as in the case of most formal wear.

The trouser-legs are then unfolded and thetapes 20 hered along the inside seam as described above such tha |r 29 inch marks (or other selected measurement) correspollti to the index marks 48 respectively located by the infolded bottom or terminal edges l6, 18 of the trouser legs. As noted previously the upper ends 28 of the tapes can be trimmed offif desired, at the shortest anticipated altered lengths of the trouser legs, in this case at 24 inches. The lower ends 26 of the tapes 20 are trimmed off so that the tapes 20 are coterminous with the bottom edges l6, 18 of the trouser legs respectively.

In this case the tapes terminate exemplarily at 34 inchesjarld,

thus denote .the actual or unaltered lengthof the trouserlegs l2, 14 measured from the crotch or inseam 34.

.It will be understood, of course, that, under manufacturing conditions of close dimensional control the alterational tapes 20 can be applied at the factory by arranging the indicia thereon so that the lower ends of the tape indicia denote'the actual inseam lengths ofthe trouser legs. In such casethe tapes 20 can be applied simply by aligning .their lower ends with the bottom edges l6, 18 of the trousers. However, when applying the tapes 20 to a number of pairs" of trousers of unequal unaltered length,,a more reliable procedure is as outlined first above.

Once applied, the tapes are permanentlylocated on the inside surfaces of .the trousers and are fabricated from known materials which are not deteriorated by drycleaning solvents. The same is true of the indicia 24 applied to the-tapes.

Once the tapes 20 are attached as aforesaid, it is no longer necessary to measure and chalk the trouser legs l2, 14 when altering them. The aforementioned measurements and chalking may be performed only in the initial securance of the tapes 20 to the trouser legs.

It' will be understood that traditional, externally folded trouser cuffs (not shown) can also be located by our alterational procedure, providing that the cuffs are formed as the tape-locating folds are made in accordance with FIG. 2 to establish the appropriate location of the tapes 20 on the trouser legs.

When altering the trousers 10, it is necessary to ascertain the pertinent measurements of the wearer or purchaser of the trousers. When such measurements have been obtained,

which measurements may differ from one leg to another of the When the bottom edge 16 is thus aligned with the indicated measurement on the tape 20 the bottom fold 42 is then disposed at the actual user's measurement; The folded up portion is then sewn with hidden stitching, in the case of rental garments. i

After each trouser leg is thus altered, the trousers are turned rightside out and are then pressed to complete the alteration (FIG. 3). As better shown in FIG. 3 the altered lengths 50, S2 of the trouser legs 12,14 are permanently and respectively indicated at the intersections of the infolded bottom edges l6, l8 with'the tapes 20. When it is again necessary to alter the trousers 10 the hidden stitching is removed-and the bottom portions 44 are simply refolded so that the edges 16', 1,8 intersect the desired dimensional indicia .on the alterational tapes 20. The trousers then "are restitched and repressed without the necessity of remeasuring and rechalking each trouser leg.

Because of the relative simplicity of our alterational means, the tapes 20 can be applied by a manufacturer of the garments without undue difficulty to facilitate alterations on new garments, which at the present time are required in almost every It will be understood of course that similar tapes, but having I correspondingly different indicia, can be adhered to the inside surfaces of shirt sleeves, coat sleeves, dress herns, and the like in order to perform our novel alterational procedure.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that novel and efficient forms of garment alteration means and methods have been described herein. While I have shown and described certain presently preferred embodiments of the invention and have illustrated presently preferred methods of practicing the same, it is to be distinctly understood that the invention is not limited thereto but may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the spirit and scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. A pair of trousers having elongated alterable leg sections and an inseam extending longitudinally along each leg section from thecrotch to the end thereof, an alterational tape adhered to the inside of and extending longitudinally of each of said sections, measuring indicia on said tapes for denoting altered lengths of said leg sections in terms of the location of inwardly folded edge portions of said leg sections, respectively, said tapes having outward ends thereof coterminous with unaltered outward ends of said leg sections, respectively, and said indicia at said tape ends denoting unaltered lengths of said leg sections at said ends, said tapes being disposed on the inseam sides respectively of said leg sections, and each of said tapes being further disposed closely adjacent its associated inseam and extending longitudinally thereof so that the indicia of each of said tapes are related to a crotch or inseam junction of said trousers.

2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said tapes are permanently affixed to said leg sections, and said tape indicia permanently denote the altered lengths of said leg sections at the intersection of said tapes with the infolded edges of said leg sections.

3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said tapes are adhered respectively to inwardly extending material edge portions at the inside seams respectively of said leg sections.

4. The combination according to claim l wherein inward ends of said tapes and the indicia thereon terminate at the location of the infolded edges of said leg sections respectively at the shortest anticipated altered lengths thereof.

5. The combination according to claim 1 where said measuring indicia are spaced at intervals equal in length to twice the normal length of measuring units denoted by said indicia to accommodate movement of said inwardly folded edges at double the rate of that of outward altered edges of said trouser legs. 7

6. The combination according to claim 3 wherein the widths of said tapes are respectively and approximately as wide as said edge portions, said inward edges are stitched to said leg sections by hidden stitching at locations such that said inward edges in cooperation with said indicia yield permanent indications of said altered lengths between successive alterings of said garment, said tapes having a heat-sensitive adhesive thereon for securance to said edge portions by pressing, and said tapes each denote in cooperation with said edge portions respectively measurements from a crotch of said trousers.

7. A method for altering the length of a pair of trousers having alterable leg sections and an inseam extending longitudinally along each leg section from the crotch to the end thereof, said method comprising the steps in variable order of adhering measuring indicia inside of and along at least a segment of the length of each said leg section and closely adjacent the inseams thereof respectively, extending said indicia longitudinally of said inseams respectively, relating said indicia to the actual altered lengths of said leg sections as denoted by inward movement of infolded terminal edges of said leg'sections, relating the indicia of each of said leg sections to a common point on said trousers, disposing said measuring indicia to be coterminous with outward ends of the leg sections, arranging said indicia such that the coterminous ends thereof denote unaltered lengths of said leg sections at said ends, and folding and stitching end portions including said leg section edges at locations where said infolded edges denote the desired altered lengths of said leg sections on said indicia,

8. The method according to claim 7 including the additional steps of disposing other ends of said indicia so as tobe engaged by said terminal edges at the shortestantlclpated altered lengths of said leg sections, and arranging said indicia such that said other ends thereof denote said shortest altered lengths.

9. The method according to claim 7 including the additional step of spacing said measuring indicia at intervals equal to twice the normal length of measuring units denoted thereby to accommodate movement of said infolded edges at double the rate of that of outward altered edges of said trouser legs,

10. A pair of trousers having elongated alterable leg sections and an inseam extending longitudinally along each leg section from the crotch to the end thereof, alterational measuring means secured to the inside of and extending longitudinally of at least one of said sections, said indicia being disposed to denote altered lengths of said leg sections in terms of the location of an inwardly folded edge portion of said one leg section, said indicia having an outward end thereof coterminous with an outward end of said one leg section, and said indicia at said outward end thereof denoting an unaltered length of said one leg section at the end thereof, said indicia being disposed on the inseam side of said one leg section and being further disposed closely adjacent the associated inseam and extending longitudinally thereof so that said indicia are related to a crotch or inseam junction of said trousers. 

1. A pair of trousers having elongated alterable leg sections and an inseam extending longitudinally along each leg section from the crotch to the end thereof, an alterational tape adhered to the inside of and extending longitudinally of each of said sections, measuring indicia on said tapes for denoting altered lengths of said leg sections in terms of the location of inwardly folded edge portions of said leg sections, respectively, said tapes having outward ends thereof coterminous with unaltered outward ends of said leg sections, respectively, and said indicia at said tape ends denoting unaltered lengths of said leg sections at said ends, said tapes being disposed on the inseam sides respectively of said leg sections, and each of said tapes being further disposed closely adjacent its associated inseam and extending longitudinally thereof so that the indicia of each of said tapes are related to a crotch or inseam junction of said trousers.
 2. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said tapes are permanently affixed to said leg sections, and said tape indicia permanently denote the altered lengths of said leg sections at the intersection of said tapes with the infolded edges of said leg sections.
 3. The combination according to claim 1 wherein said tapes are adhered respectively to inwardly extending material edge portions at the inside seams respectively of said leg sections.
 4. The combination according to claim 1 wherein inward enDs of said tapes and the indicia thereon terminate at the location of the infolded edges of said leg sections respectively at the shortest anticipated altered lengths thereof.
 5. The combination according to claim 1 where said measuring indicia are spaced at intervals equal in length to twice the normal length of measuring units denoted by said indicia to accommodate movement of said inwardly folded edges at double the rate of that of outward altered edges of said trouser legs.
 6. The combination according to claim 3 wherein the widths of said tapes are respectively and approximately as wide as said edge portions, said inward edges are stitched to said leg sections by hidden stitching at locations such that said inward edges in cooperation with said indicia yield permanent indications of said altered lengths between successive alterings of said garment, said tapes having a heat-sensitive adhesive thereon for securance to said edge portions by pressing, and said tapes each denote in cooperation with said edge portions respectively measurements from a crotch of said trousers.
 7. A method for altering the length of a pair of trousers having alterable leg sections and an inseam extending longitudinally along each leg section from the crotch to the end thereof, said method comprising the steps in variable order of adhering measuring indicia inside of and along at least a segment of the length of each said leg section and closely adjacent the inseams thereof respectively, extending said indicia longitudinally of said inseams respectively, relating said indicia to the actual altered lengths of said leg sections as denoted by inward movement of infolded terminal edges of said leg sections, relating the indicia of each of said leg sections to a common point on said trousers, disposing said measuring indicia to be coterminous with outward ends of the leg sections, arranging said indicia such that the coterminous ends thereof denote unaltered lengths of said leg sections at said ends, and folding and stitching end portions including said leg section edges at locations where said infolded edges denote the desired altered lengths of said leg sections on said indicia.
 8. The method according to claim 7 including the additional steps of disposing other ends of said indicia so as to be engaged by said terminal edges at the shortest anticipated altered lengths of said leg sections, and arranging said indicia such that said other ends thereof denote said shortest altered lengths.
 9. The method according to claim 7 including the additional step of spacing said measuring indicia at intervals equal to twice the normal length of measuring units denoted thereby to accommodate movement of said infolded edges at double the rate of that of outward altered edges of said trouser legs.
 10. A pair of trousers having elongated alterable leg sections and an inseam extending longitudinally along each leg section from the crotch to the end thereof, alterational measuring means secured to the inside of and extending longitudinally of at least one of said sections, said indicia being disposed to denote altered lengths of said leg sections in terms of the location of an inwardly folded edge portion of said one leg section, said indicia having an outward end thereof coterminous with an outward end of said one leg section, and said indicia at said outward end thereof denoting an unaltered length of said one leg section at the end thereof, said indicia being disposed on the inseam side of said one leg section and being further disposed closely adjacent the associated inseam and extending longitudinally thereof so that said indicia are related to a crotch or inseam junction of said trousers. 